Crossing signal



March 9 1926. 1,575,857

G. s. MATTHEWS CROSSING SIGNAL Filed Feb. 13. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 G. s. MATTHEWS CROSSING SIGNAL 7 Filed F ll v y March 9 1926.

Patented Mar. 9, 1926.

v UNITED STATES GEORGE S. MATTHEWS, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR T0 MATTHEWS OIBR YAN PATENT OFFICE.

SIGNAL COMPANY, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, A TRUST ASSOCIATION.

CROSSING SIGNAL.

Application fiiearebmar 1a, 1922. Serial No. 536,099.

To all/whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE S. MATTHEWS, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Kansas City, county of Jackson, and State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Crossing Signals, of which the following is a complete specification.

This invention relates to traflic signals and has for its object to produce an illuminated. signal for the control of traflic at street intersections, and in which one or more signals may be controlled from a single point.

With the object named in view, the inven tion consists in certain novel and useful features of construction and organization of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanylng drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the device showin one form of support;

Figure 2 IS a broken sectional view of the device with the top removed;

Figure 3 is a section on the line III-III of Figure 2;

Fi ure 4 is a section taken on the 'line IV. V of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged section through one 'ofthe removable ends of the device;

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view ofthe electric wirin In the-said drawings where like reference characters identify corresponding parts in all of the figures, 1 illustrates a signal casing in the shape of a cross having all of the arms thereof of equal length. .Each arm is formed of an approximately U-shaped member 2, and has cut out of its opposite sides the word Stop for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. At its upper edges the member 2 is formed with a flange 3, adapted to be received in a slot 4 formed on the edges of a V-shaped cover 'member 5, (see Figure 4).. Thejbottom portion of each member 2 is cut away to form openings 6, and along the margins of said openings are provided with inturned flange 6, to which is riveted, soldered or secured in an suitable manner, the flanges 7 of a depending U-shaped member 8, of less len th than the member-2, and cut out of eac side of said member 8 is the word Go.

The inner end of each U-shaped member 2 is closed bya plate 11 secured in pos1t1on in any suitable manner and provided with an opening 12 for a purpose which will here inafter appear; and at the inner end of each member 8 is an end wall 13, as illustrated.

The outer ends of members 2 and 8 are closed by removable ends 14, formed on their side and bottom edges with flanges 15 for receiving the end edges of the U-shaped members, and said ends are held reliably in position by means of cotter pins 16, or in any other suitable or desired manner. It will be apparent that after the removal of the ends 14, access may be had to the interior of the respective signal arms for the repair or cleaning of the same.

Resting uponthe upper faces of flanges 6 are the flan ed edges of arched reflectors 17 which pre erably extend from the ends 14 almost to plates 11, leaving small spaces for the passage of electric wires leading to electric lamps 18 secured to the bottoms of members 2 adjacent the openings 6. It will be apparent that when an electric light 1'8- Go, a substantially V-shaped partition 19 formed with flanges 20 for resting on the bottom of member 8, is provided. It will be understood in this connection that the faces of the V-shaped partition'will be so finished that they cannot act as reflectors and reflect any light which may enter the casing from an outside source and lead to a confusion of signals. Resting on the flanges 20 and secured at their upper edges by. the flanges 7, area pair of green glass or other suitable transparent panes 21 of substan tially the same length as the member 8; With this construction, it will be apparent thatthe rays im arted through the cut'out word Go will e colored green, the custo-- mary color used in railroad and other signal-. ing systems for indicating that it is safe to proceed in a course of travel.

Secured substantially midway the length of the underside of each cover 5,' is a soc et bracket 22 which at its lower end will bear. a pair of oppositely dis osed electric lamps 23 in circuit with. suitab e wires whichjwrll j 28 secured to the top 5. It will be apparent that the light projected through the openings forming the word Stop will be red in color. From the description given above, it will be apparent that after the ends 14 of either member 2 or member 8, are removed, the operator can insert his arm for replacing any of the lamps and that all of the partitions and glass panes may be readily slipped out longitudinally of the casing for cleaning or replacement.

As the tops or covers 5 are not required to be moved, it is preferable that they shall be integrally joined at their inner ends, and at the point of intersection of the cross arms, an internally threaded stud 28 is provided for threaded engagement with the lower end of a suspension tube 29, secured at its upper end to any suitable device 30 for attachment to a series of span wires 31 preferably extending diagonally across a street intersection at such a height that there will be no danger of the signal interfering with passing traflic, and it will be understood in this connection that a pair of arms will face each of the intersecting streets. will be apparent that the signal might be suspendedfrom a bracket secured to the corner of. a building, or could be-mounted on the top of'a ole erected at a corner of the street. When the device is suspended from suitablespan wires, however, it is desirable that suitable guy wires 32 be provided to prevent swaying or vibration of the signal. The electric wires are joined together to form a suitably insulated cable 33 which may lead toany suitable point, as shown, to a conduit 34, which may be placed on the corner of a building at the intersection or at a distant point. If it is desired to provide for the simultaneous control of a number of signals, the wires will lead to a common point of control, in circuit with a suitable source of current B, and an electric switch casing 35. j

Secured to the undersides of the cross arms. 2 and between the ends of members 8 is If desired, it

switch 37, the words Stop on a pair of diametrically opposite signal members 2will be illuminated so as to be visible to traffic approaching the corner from opposite directions on the same street, and at the same time the words Go will be illuminated on the opposite pair of diametrically opposite signal members 8, and said illuminated signal will be visible to traffic approaching the corner from opposite directions on the other street. Upon closing the switch 38, the signalsare reversed, that is the arms which originally showed Go will now show Stop, and those which showed Stop will nowshow Go.

A switch 39 is provided in circuit with the source of current B, and the bell 36 fastened to the bottom of the signal casing. This circuit may be closed when it is found desirableto warn the traflic of a proposed change in signals, or as a warning to stop all traffic for the passage of the fire department apparatus, police patrol, ambulance or the like, and may be simultaneously operated with either of the other switches, if desired.

It is not believed that further recapitulation of the operation of the device is required, as the operation thereof will be clearly apparent to one skilled in the art.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced a device of the character described, which possesses all of the features of advantage set forth as desirable, and while I have described and claimed the preferred embodiment of the same, I reserve the right to make all changes properly falling within the spirit and scopev of the appended claims.

I claim:

.1. A crossing signal, comprising two hollow arms, in superposed relation, one arm having side wall openings as danger signals and the other corresponding openings as safety signals, the arms also having permanent closures at one end and removable closures at their other ends, and the upper arm having a bottom opening establishing communication, with the lower arm; an

arched reflector in the lower part of the upper arm to reflect light into the lower arm and through the signal openings of the latter, a non-re ecting opaque partition extending longitudinally within the lower arm between the sides thereof from a point spaced from the opening in the bottom of the upper arm to a point below the signal openings in the sides of the lower arm, and an electric lamp between said partition and said arched reflector.

. 2. A crossing signal, comprising two hollow arms, in superposed relation, one arm having side wall openings as danger signals and the other corresponding openings as safety signals, the arms also having -permanent closures at one end and remov- 5 upper arm to reflect light into the lower arm and through the signal'openings of the latter, a non-reflecting opaque partition extending longitudinally within the lower arm between the sides thereof irom a point spaced 10 from the opening in the bottom of the upper arm to a point below the signal opening in the sides of the lower arm, an electric lamp between said partition and said arched reflector in the upper arm for reflecting light through the openings in the sides of such arm, and a non-reflecting opaque partition in and extending longitudinally of said arm, and an electric lamp between said reflector and said partition.

In witness whereof I hereunto aifix my 20 signature.

GEORGE S. MATTHEWS. 

